Blues hope it's second time lucky

The Welsh region take on RC Toulon in the Amlin Challenge Cup final at Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Sunday 14 years after losing to Toulouse in extra time of the inaugural Heineken Cup final.

And Blues Director of Rugby David Young declared: "It would great for the players to get what they deserve - and a European trophy is as good as it comes.

"But while we know we face a massive challenge, we have set our stall out in only losing two games in Europe in two seasons and now we are in a final.

"We are quite proud of our efforts in Europe and we would love to come away with another European win and the Amlin Challenge Cup title.

"We are really looking forward to it, and, after a couple of days rest there is no reason why we should not be charging on full batteries."

While the Blues narrowly missed out on the play-off stages of the Magners League, Toulon finished second in the Top 14 season before losing 35-29 to ASM Clermont Auvergne at the weekend in the semi-finals and so miss out on a trip to Stade de France a week Saturday.

"Naturally I am disappointed we did not qualify for the Magners League semi-finals," said Young.

"However, the advantage of not qualifying meant we have been able to concentrate on the Amlin Challenge Cup final.

"And if you look at Sunday's final in isolation it was probably the best thing that could have happened because it enabled us to have a rest and we were looking a tired team. The rest will do us good and really ignite the appetite to go on and achieve something this year."

Toulon finished in 9th position in the 2008/09 Top 14 and under new head coach Philippe Saint-Andre and the arrival of some big name stars such as Jonny Wilkinson, Juan Fernandez Lobbe and Sebastien Bruno have shot up seven places.

"They certainly have the budget to buy most players they want - they have got world stars but we are hoping we can get amongst them and we have some real quality players ourselves," added Young.

"They could pick one world star and if not him they could pick another world star and we know they have quality so, while we will concentrate on them as much as we can, I believe it is about us bringing our game and imposing ourselves.

"We are very respectful of them and we know that if we give them the space and time they could carve us up so we are determined not to give them that space and time and really make every effort to impose our game on them.

"When you play against any French team and you know it is always going to be a battle up front and we have to make sure we improve on our scrum going into the final as we came second best against Wasps in that area in the semi-final.

"We were thrilled with our support at Wasps and Newcastle and everyone is talking and thinking about the final - it is certainly a very big occasion and one the players, management and supporters are looking forward to."